Lamp conveyor machine



Feb. 16, 1965 c. o. MERCHANT LAMP CONVEYOR MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1963 INVENTOR Chester 0. Merchant BY wfw ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1965 c. o. MERCHANT LAMP CONVEYOR MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1963 Feb. 16, 1965 c, o, MERCHANT 3,169,628

LAMP CONVEYOR MACHINE United States Patent 3,169,628 LAMP CONVEYOR MACHINE Chester 6. Merchant, East Longmeadow, Mass, assignor to Westinghouse Electric orporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,267 6 Claims. ill. 18-31) The present invention relates to lamp making machinery and more particularly to a machine for conveying and transferring lamp reflector bodies from a single source conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors.

In the manufacture of sealed beam headlamps or the like, the glass reflector bodies are customarily submitted to a number of manufacturing operations prior to being aluminized on their concave interior surfaces. For mass production purposes, the reflector bodies are carried by a conveyor belt that is intermittently moved past a plurality of work stations. Prior to being aluminized, the terminal openings on the reflector bodies are sealed with ferrules and the bodies are then tested to determine if the ferrules are present in sealing relation by a testing machine as described and claimed in the copending patent application, Serial No. 287,268, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The lamp reflector bodies are moved by a single source conveyor on the above-mentioned testing machine and they must be diverted or transferred to a pair of transfer conveyors to be moved towards the transfer conveyor ends so that two tested good lamp reflector bodies are simultaneously presented in side-by-side relationship to a loading mechanism for placing a pair of reflector bodies in diametrically opposed relation on either side of the aluminizing head of the alnminizing machine of a type which is well-known in the art. Obviously, if the aforementioned testing machine is operative to eject tested defective lamp reflector bodies, there will be gaps in the continuous flow of lamp reflector bodies on the single source testing conveyor at the output ends thereof to be diverted to the pair of transfer conveyors. Therefore, the transfer mechanisms for diverting and transferring the lamp reflector bodies from the single source conveyor to the pair of transfer conveyors must be variably controlled responsive to both the presence of reflector bodies on the source conveyor and the accumulation of lamp reflector bodies on respective ones of the two transfer conveyors.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a conveyor machine for transferring and conveying lamp reflector bodies moving in sequence on a single source conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors with an arrangement such that respective reflector bodies are always simultaneously presented at the ends of each transfer conveyor for simultaneous movement to an aluminizing machine or the like.

Further objects, features and the attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of the transfer conveyor machine of the invention as associated with a single source testing conveyor seen to the right and an aluminizing head of an alumin ling machine seen to the left;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the machine shown by FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the pair of transfer conveyors and the associated escapement and control mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a fractional vertical sectional view to show the detail of the ejector mechanism for transferring a lamp reflector body from the single source testing conveyor to a respective one of the pairs of transfer conveyors;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line VV of FIG. 3 to show the details of the escapement mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is the electrical control circuit for the escapement mechanism used by the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the transfer conveyor apparatus of the invention is shown as it is used in connection with the testing machine generally shown at 10 and the aluminizing machine generally shown at 11. The testing machine 10 is described in detail in the aforementioned copending patent application, Serial No. 287,268, and will not again be described in detail in this application. However, it is pointed out herein that the testing machine 10 generally includes a rotatable single source conveyor table 12 having a plurality of lamp reflector body holding elements 13-20 which are progressively moved as the table 12 is intermitently rotated and indexed in the clockwise direction. Each time a lamp reflector body is indexed in position beneath the testing apparatus 21, a test is made to determine the presence of sealing ferrules on the terminal openings through the lamp bodies. If any of the terminal openings are unsealed, thus indicating a defective lamp body at this stage of manufacture, upon indexing movement of the defective lamp body to the next station by the single source testing conveyor 12, the ejector mechanism 22 will eject the defective lamp onto the continuously moving defective lamp conveyor belt 23. Thus, with the presently assumed example of operation, as the single source testing conveyor 12 continues to intermittently rotate in the clockwise direction, the body holding element 17 will be empty after passing the ejector mechanism 22 since the reflector body previously supported thereon had been ejected to the defective body conveyor belt 23. Thus, when the single source testing conveyor 12 has rotated far enough to bring the then empty lampholder element 17 into position adjacent either of the transfer ejectors 25 or 26 of the invention, there will be no reflector body present to be ejected onto the associated continuously moving transfer conveyor 39 or 31.

The lamp reflector bodies accumulating on the continuously moving endless transfer conveyors Si or 31 by the apparatus of the invention to be presently described are presented at the discharge ends of the respective conveyors 30, 31 for simultaneous transfer to the opposite sides of the aluminizing machine head 35. The transfer arm mechanism generally shown at 36 is provided with vacuum gripping elements 37-40 to grip a respective lamp reflector body such as the bodies 41, 42 and transfer them to a position such as the positions shown by the lamp reflector bodies 43 and 44 on opposite sides of the aluminizing machine head 35. The details of the transfer arm mechanism 36 and the aluminizing head 35 are not shown or described since they do not form a pertinent part of the present invention to be claimed herewith. However, the aluminizing machine as is well-lmown in the art is provided with a plurality of alumim'zing heads such as the aluminizing head 35 which for the proper functioning thereof require that lamp reflector bodies 43 and 44 be simultaneously presented in opposing relation on the opposite sides of the aluminizing head 35. Therefore, it is obvious that the ejector mechanisms 25, 26 and the transfer conveyors 30, 31 must be controlled to operate in a manner such as to always present, simultaneously, a pair of lamp reflector bodies such as the bodies 41 and 42 at the output ends of the respective transfer conveyors 3t), 31.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that each of the ejector mechanisms 25, 26 is comprised of an air operated oneness cylinder 50 having a piston rod 51 connected to a cross head 52 from which is depending an ejector finger 53 to engage the back of the lamp reflector body such as the lamp reflector 54 and move it from the solid line position shown by FIG. 4 of the drawings to the dotted line position. The cross head 52. is guided in its movement by means of guide rails such as the guide rail 55 for the ejector mechanism and the guide rail 56 for the ejector mechanism 26. It will be seen by FIG. 1 of the drawing that the guide rail 55 is positioned over what may be termed a first transfer station of the single source conveyor 12 while the guide rail 56 is positioned over what may be termed a second transfer station of the single source conveyor 12. The lampholder element 24 is shown to be indexed in position beneath the first ejector mechanism 25 at the so-called first transfer station while the larnpholder element 19 is shown to be indexed in position beneath the second ejector mechanism 26 at the so-called second transfer station. Guide rail 55 is aimed to transfer a lamp reflector body from the first transfer station to the first continuously moving transfer conveyor belt generally shown at 3% while the guide rail 56 is aimed to effect the transfer of a lamp reflector body at the second transfer station to the second transfer conveyor belt generally shown at 31.

Each of the transfer conveyors 3%, 31 may be comprised of one or more continuously moving flexible endless belts moving in the direction of the arrows from the single source conveyor 12 to the aluminizing machine 11. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that a lamp reflector body transferred onto either one of the continuously moving transfer conveyors 3G, 31 will be moved by the movement of the re spective conveyor belt in the direction of the arrows until the lamp reflector body is positiviely impeded in this movement by a stop or escapement mechanism or the like. When the movement of the lamp reflector body is thus impeded, the conveyor belts 3 31 continue to move beneath the lamp reflector body since the friction between the lamp reflector body and the moving conveyor belts is not great enough to prevent such action.

It will be remembered that there may be missing lamps in the regular presentation in sequence of lamps on the single source conveyor 12 to the respective transfer ejector mechanisms 25 and 26 due to the functioning of the testing apparatus as previously described. In order to properly distribute the lamp reflector bodies to the continuously moving conveyors 3t} and 31 in a manner to prevent an undesirable buildup of too many reflector bodies on a respective one of the conveyors and also in a manner to assure that a pair of lamp reflector bodies such as the bodies 41 and 42 will always be simultaneously presented at the end of the respective continuously moving conveyors 3t) and 31, the ejector and escapement control mechanisms of the invention are provided as controlled by the control circuit shown by FIG. 6 of the drawings. Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings, each time that the rotatable single source transfer conveyor 12 rotates and indexes into position beneath the transfer ejector 25, if a lamp reflector body is at that time carried by the lamp reflector carrying element 20, the microswitch 60 contacting the lamp reflector body will be operated. Also each time the single source conveyor 12 is rotatably indexed and intermittently rested at a work or transfer station, the cam operated switch 61 (FIG. 6) will be closed. The closure of switch 61 operates relay 62 which closes its contacts 63 to energize the solenoid valve 64 causing the air cylinder for the ejector mechanism 25 to operate to transferthe lamp reflector body from the single source conveyor holder element 20 onto the continuously moving transfer conveyor 39. The aforementioned operation of the micro- 4 switch 69 also causes relay 66 to be operated at the same time to close its contact 67 to establish a circuit through the operated contacts 68 of the then operated relay 6?. to also energize the solenoid air control valves 69 which thereupon causes the air cylinder for the transfer ejector mechanism 26 to operate to transfer a lamp reflector body from the single source conveyor holder element 19 to the continuously moving transfer conveyor 31. Since the lamp reflector bodies were thereupon simultaneously ejected from both the holding elements 1? 28, upon the next index movement of the single source conveyor table 12, there will be no lamp reflector body in position beneath the ejector mechanism 25 to operate the microswitch 69. It is, of course, understood that as soon as the single source rotatable table 12 is intermittently moved from the rest position, the cam operated switch 61 will again be opened thus breaking the circuit to both relays 62 and 66 which will thereupon restore to open the previously closed contacts 63, 63 and thus deenergize the solenoid valves 64 and 69 so that the ejector mechanisms 25 and 26 return to their normal position while the rotatable single source conveyor 12 is moving. Upon the next index resting movement of the rotatable source conveyor 12 with the empty lampholder in position beneath the ejector 25 the cam operated switch will again close to energize relay 62 and solenoid valve 64 causing the transfer ejector mechanism 25' to operate but not to move a lamp reflector body since no lamp reflector body is in position thereunder at that time as described above. It will be noted, however, that the microswitch 69 was not at this time operated, in view of the absence of a lamp reflector body to be transferred at that time and therefore the relay 66 and the solenoid valve 69 will not be operated so that a lamp reflector body in position at that time beneath the ejector mechanism 25 will not be ejected but will remain in position to be moved upon the next index movement of the single source rotatable conveyor 12 to e indexed in position beneath the transfer ejector mechanism 25. After this index movement, and upon reclosing of the cam operated switch 61 with the microswitch 6i again operated, both the ejector mechanisms 25 and as will again be operated to simultaneously eject and transfer two lamp reflector bodies from the single source conveyor 12 to the two continuously moving transfer conveyors 3t 31 respectively. In such manner, the operation of the ejector mechanisms 25 and 26 is controlled to assure the highest possible number of operations for simultaneous transfer of reflector bodies to the respective transfer conveyors 30, 31.

It will benoted that the continuously moving transfer conveyor 30 is not as long as the continuously moving transfer conveyor 31 and a microswitch 76 is therefore provided to cause the operation of the ejector 26 for each index movement of the single source rotatable conveyor 12 whenever the lamp reflector bodies are stacked up on the conveyor 30 in a position to keep the microswitch 70 closed. The closure of the microswitch contacts 70 provides a circuit for operating the solenoid valve 69 through the operated contacts of relay 62 each time relay 62 is operated by the index movement of the cam operated switch 61.

The lamp reflector bodies on the conveyors 30, 31 are moved thereon to positions where they are positively held by the escapement mechanism or stops and 76 respectively (FIGS. 3 and 5). Microswitches 77 and 78 are operated responsive to the presence of lamp reflector bodies held by the escapement stops 75 and '7 6, and the contacts of switches 77 and 78 are connected in series with each other and to the normally open contacts 79 of the cam operated switch 89. The cam operated switch 80 is cycled to permit movement of lamp reflector bodies previously held by the escapement stops 75, 76 to the discharge ends of the respective endless conveyors 3G, 31 in timed relation to enable these lamp reflector bodies to be transferred to the aluminizing machine 11, simultaneously. Thus, it will be seen that unless both microswitches 77 and 78 are operated by the presence of lamp reflector bodies held by the escapement stops 75 and 76 the solenoid 81 will not be energized. If lamp reflector bodies are both present to operate the microswitches 75 and 78, the energization of the relay 81 upon the closure of the cam operated switch contact 79 will complete a circuit through contacts 82 to energize the solenoid valve 83 which operates the air cylinder 84 to move the cam arm 85 and linkage 86 to thereby withdraw the escapement stop mechanisms 75 and 7 6 from the path of the lamp re flector bodies on the respective endless conveyor belts 30, 31. The relay 81 is maintained energized through a holding circuit established through its operated contacts 99 and the then closed cam operated contacts 91. After a brief interval determined by the shape of the cam for contacts 91, the cam operated contacts 91 will open to open the holding circuit for the relay 81 which thereupon releases to deenergize the solenoid valve 83 thus permitting the escapement stops 75 and 76 to again be moved into the path of lamp reflector bodies being conveyed on the endless conveyors 30, 31.

In order to prevent jamming and undesirable chipping of the lamp reflector bodies, auxiliary stopping elements for the escapement mechanism are provided at 94 and 95. The stops 94 and 95 are linked to the operating arm 85 in such manner that they are moved into stopping position to hold reflector bodies on the respective conveyors 30 and 31 at the time that the escapement stop members 75 and 76 are moved out of stopping position. As previously described, the operation of the air cylinder 84 and the escapement mechanisms including the stops 75, 76, 94, 95 is maintained for a short holding period of time by the closure of the cam operated switch 91 and the holding circuit for the relay 81 through the operated contacts 90 of the relay 81. Although the secondary stopping elements 94 and 94 for the escapement mechanism are shown to be positioned beneath the respective conveyor belts 30, 31, it should be understood that in their place other forms of secondary stopping elements which may be positioned above the conveyor belts 30, 31 for engaging the exterior surfaces of the associated lamp reflector body may be provided to be controlled by the operation of the solenoid valve 33.

It is believed that the operation of the invention has been completely described in connection with the above description of the arrangement of the elements of the invention and no further description of the operation need be made. It will be seen, however, that the invention arrangement is such that the lamp reflector bodies from the single source rotatable conveyor 12 to the pairs of trans fer conveyors 3t) and 31 is controlled in a manner to provide the desirable distribution of lamp reflector bodies between the two conveyors 30, 31 thus preventing undue buildup of too many lamp reflector bodies on a particular one of the conveyors 30 and 31 while at the same time assuring that lamp reflector bodies are simultaneously presented at the output end of the respective transfer conveyors 30, 31.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific details of the conveying and ejecting mechanisms as described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for conveying and transferring lamp reflector bodies moving in sequence on a single source multiple station conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors comprising; a multiple station source conveyor having means to intermittently move and index a plurality of lamp reflector bodies successively in sequence to a plurality of stations including first and second transfer sta tions; a first continuously moving transfer belt at said first transfer station; a second continuously moving transfer belt at said second transfer station; first ejector means at said first transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said first transfer station to said first moving transfer belt; second ejector means at said second transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second moving transfer belt; first control means to be operated responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor to cause said first ejector means to operate; and second control means responsive to the operation of said first control means and also the presence of a body to be transferred carried by said source conveyor at said first transfer station to be operated to cause said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt.

2. A machine for conveying and transferring lamp reflector bodies moving in sequence on a single source multiple station conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors comprising; a multiple station source conveyor having means to intermittently move and index a plurality of lamp reflector bodies successively in sequence to a plurality of stations including first and second transfer stations; 2. first continuously moving transfer belt at said first transfer station; a second continuously moving transfer belt at said second transfer station; first ejector means at said first transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said first transfer station to said first moving transfer belt; second ejector means at said second transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second moving transfer belt; first control means to be operated responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor to cause said first ejector means to operate; second control means responsive to the operation of said first control means and also the presence of a body to be transferred carried by said source conveyor at said first transfer station to be operated to cause said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt; and third control means responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor and to the presence of a reflector body on said first transfer belt adjacent said first ejector means to be operated to cause said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a reflector body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt.

3. A machine for conveying and transferring lamp reflector bodies moving in sequence on a single source multiple station conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors comprising; a multiple station source conveyor having means to intermittently move and index a plurality of lamp reflector bodies successively in sequence to a plurality of stations including first and second transfer stations; a first continuously moving transfer belt having an input end at said first transfer station; a second continuously moving transfer belt having an input end at said second transfer station; said first and second transfer belts being in generally parallel alignment with each other and having adjacent output ends; first ejector means at said first transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said first transfer station to the input end of said first moving transfer belt; second ejector means at said second transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said second transfer station to the input end of said second moving transfer belt; first control means to be operated responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor to cause said first ejector means to operate; second control means responsive to the operation of said first control means and also the presence of a body to be transferred carried by said source conveyor at first transfer station to be operated to cause said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt; escapement means having primary blocking members normally extending in the path of each of said first and second transfer belts near their output ends to block the movement of reflector bodies carried by each transfer belt; and third control means responsive only to the simultaneous positioning of a reflector body on said first transfer belt blocked by said escapement means and a reflector body on said second transfer belt blocked by said escapement means to momentarily operate said escapement means to move the primary blocking members from the normal positions to positions permitting simultaneous movement of a reflector body on each of said first and second transfer belts to the output ends of the ransfer belts.

4. A machine for conveying and transferring lamp refiector bodies moving in sequence on a single source multiple station conveyor to a pair of transfer conveyors comprising; a multiple station source conveyor having means to intermittently move and index a plurality of lamp reflector bodies successively in sequence to a plurality of stations including first and second transfer stations; a first continuously moving transfer belt having 7 an input end at said first transfer station; a second continuously moving transfer belt having an input end at said second transfer station; said first and second transfer belts being in generally parallel alignment with each other and having adjacent output ends; first ejector means at said first transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said first transfer station to the input end of said first moving transfer belt; second ejector means at said second transfer station to be operated to transfer a body on said source conveyor at said second transfer station to the input end of said second moving transfer belt; first control means to be operated responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor to cause said first ejector means to operate; second control means responsive to the operation of said first control means and also the presence of a body to be transferred carried by said source conveyor at first transfer station to be operated to cause 49 said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt; third control means responsive upon each index movement of said source conveyor and to the presence of a reflector body on said first transfer belt adjacent said first ejector means to be operated to cause said second ejector means to be operated to transfer a reflector body carried by said source conveyor at said second transfer station to said second transfer belt; escapement means having primary blocking members normally extending in the path of each of said first and second transfer belts near their output ends to block the movement of reflector bodies carried by each transfer belt; and fourth control meansresponsive only to the simultaneous positioning of a reflector body on said first transfer belt blocked by said escapement means and a reflector body on said second transfer belt blocked by said escapement means to momentarily operate said escapement means to move the primary blocking members from their normal positions to positions permitting simultaneous movement of a refiector body on each of said first and second transfer belts to the output ends of the transfer belts.

5. The machine of claim 3 in which said escapernent means is provided with secondary blocking members normally out of the path of movement of reflector bodies on said first and second transfer belts immediately behind the reflector bodies being blocked by the primary blocking members of said escapement means and being movable into blocking position when said primary blocking members are moved out of blocking position.

6. The machine of claim 4 in which said escapement means is provided with secondary blocking members normally out the path of movement of reflector bodies on said first and second transfer belts immediately behind the reflector bodies being blocked by the primary blocking members of said escapement means and being movable into blocking position when said primary blocking members are moved out of blocking position.

References itcd in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A MACHINE FOR CONVEYING AND TRANSFERRING LAMP REFLECTOR BODIES MOVING IN SEQUENCE ON A SINGLE SOURCE MULTIPLE STATION CONVEYOR TO A PAIR OF TRANSFER CONVEYORS COMPRISING: A MULTIPLE STATION SOURCE CONVEYOR HAVING MEANS TO INTERMITTENTLY MOVE AND INDEX A PLURALITY OF LAMP REFLECTOR BODIES SUCCESSIVELY IN SEQUENCE TO A PLURALITY OF STATIONS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND TRANSFER STATIONS; A FIRST CONTINUOUSLY MOVING TRANSFER BELT AT SAID FIRST TRANSFER STATION; A SECOND CONTINUOUSLY MOVING TRANSFER BELT AT SAID SECOND TRANSFER STATION; FIRST EJECTOR MEANS AT SAID FIRST TRANSFER STATION TO BE OPERATED TO TRANSFER A BODY ON SAID SOURCE CONVEYOR AT SAID FIRST TRANSFER STATION TO SAID FIRST MOVING TRANSFER BELT; SECOND EJECTOR MEANS AT SAID SECOND TRANSFER STATION TO BE OPERATED TO TRANSFER A BODY ON SAID SOURCE CONVEYOR AT SAID SECOND TRANSFER STATION TO SAID SECOND MOVING TRANSFER BELT; FIRST CONTROL MEANS TO BE OPERATED RESPONSIVE UPON EACH INDEX MOVEMENT OF SAID SOURCE CONVEYOR TO CAUSE SAID FIRST EJECTOR MEANS TO OPERATE; AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE OPERATION OF SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS ALSO THE PRESENCE OF A BODY TO BE TRANSFERRED CARRED BY SAID SOURCE CONVEYOR AT SAID FIRST TRANSFER STATION TO BE OPERATED TO CAUSE SAID SECOND EJECTOR MEANS TO BE OPERATED TO TRANSFER A BODY CARRIED BY SAID SOURCE CONVEYOR AT SAID SECOND TRANSFER STATION TO SAID SECOND TRANSFER BELT. 